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What Does This MRI Report Indicate?
Question: I really need help understanding my MRI. It says: :FINDINGS: There is fatty marrow signal in the vertebral bodies identified with maintenance of vertebral body heights. Dextroscoliosis is identified, vertex centered at L3-L4, at 12.9 degrees rightward convexity. No evidence of spondylolisthesis is identified.. The paraspinal soft tissues are unremarkable. The intervertebral discs at multiple levels were evaluated and the findings are below: T12-L1: Unremarkable. L1-L2: Annular disc bulge effaces the thecal sac, lateral recess, and foraminal fat. L2-L3: Disc bulge effaces the thecal sac, lateral recess, and foraminal fat. L3-L4: Disc bulge effaces the thecal sac, lateral recess, and foraminal fat. L4-L5: Annular disc bulge effaces the thecal sac. Minimal right and mild left lateral recess and foraminal narrowing asymmetry of disc bulge and endplate spurring occurs. L5-S1: Annular disc bulge effaces the thecal sac, lateral recess, and foraminal fat. IMPRESSION: 1. Disc bulges throughout the lumbar spine with thecal sac effacement. 2. Lateral recess and foraminal narrowing, left greater than right, at L4-L5 by disc bulge and asymmetry of spondylosis. 3. Dextroscoliosis. R.
Brief Answer:
There are disc bulges in multiple levels with L4-L5 nerve compression
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for writing in to us.
The lower back or lumbar spine is made of 5 small bones aligned on top of each other with spongy discs between them. The sac covering the spinal cord passes through a canal in the back of these bones. There are holes on both sides at the level of discs through which nerves pass.
In your case, there is a mild curvature of the lumbar spine to the right side which is referred to as dextroscoliosis. This is not a serious problem.
In between the small bones, there is bulging of the discs causing pressure on the spinal cord covering at L1-L2, L2-L3, L3-L4, L4-L5 and L5-S1 disc levels.
There is pressure on the exiting nerve at L4-L5 disc level on the right side.
Therefore there is bulging of lumbar discs at multiple levels and a nerve compression at L4-L5 level on the right side and these findings might explain any back pain which you are having.
Probably your condition of disc bulges is mild and therefore the doctor is recommending medicines and physiotherapy.
Wish you quick recovery.
Hope your query is answered.
Please do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
There are disc bulges in multiple levels with L4-L5 nerve compression
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for writing in to us.
The lower back or lumbar spine is made of 5 small bones aligned on top of each other with spongy discs between them. The sac covering the spinal cord passes through a canal in the back of these bones. There are holes on both sides at the level of discs through which nerves pass.
In your case, there is a mild curvature of the lumbar spine to the right side which is referred to as dextroscoliosis. This is not a serious problem.
In between the small bones, there is bulging of the discs causing pressure on the spinal cord covering at L1-L2, L2-L3, L3-L4, L4-L5 and L5-S1 disc levels.
There is pressure on the exiting nerve at L4-L5 disc level on the right side.
Therefore there is bulging of lumbar discs at multiple levels and a nerve compression at L4-L5 level on the right side and these findings might explain any back pain which you are having.
Probably your condition of disc bulges is mild and therefore the doctor is recommending medicines and physiotherapy.
Wish you quick recovery.
Hope your query is answered.
Please do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I tried researching myself and read spinal stenosis. Is this what I have, Or was I reading into the wrong information?
Brief Answer:
Spinal canal stenosis is a severe consequence of disc bulges
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for writing back with an update.
Spinal canal stenosis is a severe consequence of disc bulges. Usually spinal canal stenosis is there if the disc bulge is causing the spinal canal to cause the spinal canal diameter to be less than 10 mm in the antero posterior diameter.
There is no mention of any such measurements in your report extract which you have quoted above. Therefore I guess that your case is not severe to cause spinal canal stenosis, else your doctor would mention it in the report.
Even with out spinal canal stenosis, a patient can develop severe pain due to pressure on nerves.
Hope your query is answered.
Please do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Spinal canal stenosis is a severe consequence of disc bulges
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for writing back with an update.
Spinal canal stenosis is a severe consequence of disc bulges. Usually spinal canal stenosis is there if the disc bulge is causing the spinal canal to cause the spinal canal diameter to be less than 10 mm in the antero posterior diameter.
There is no mention of any such measurements in your report extract which you have quoted above. Therefore I guess that your case is not severe to cause spinal canal stenosis, else your doctor would mention it in the report.
Even with out spinal canal stenosis, a patient can develop severe pain due to pressure on nerves.
Hope your query is answered.
Please do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I appreciate you explaining this to me. I was going to try and get disability because I have been unable to work due to my pain, but after the breakdown of what my MRI says I don't know if I will be able to get approved for it because my report doesn't seem to say it's severe enough.
Brief Answer:
Please get your MRI scan reviewed if permitted
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for writing back with an update.
Sorry to hear about your pain and hope your make a quick recovery. You can have your MRI reviewed by any authorised doctor to know if there is any significant spinal canal stenosis.
Probably you are in the acute phase of the condition and that is causing severe pain. Disability laws differ with every state and I guess you are going through a temporary phase.
In many cases a patient can have acute symptoms for 2 to 4 weeks after which there is slow and steady improvement on taking the medicines.
Once you start feeling better then you can go for physiotherapy recommended by your doctor.
Hope your query is answered.
Please do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Please get your MRI scan reviewed if permitted
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for writing back with an update.
Sorry to hear about your pain and hope your make a quick recovery. You can have your MRI reviewed by any authorised doctor to know if there is any significant spinal canal stenosis.
Probably you are in the acute phase of the condition and that is causing severe pain. Disability laws differ with every state and I guess you are going through a temporary phase.
In many cases a patient can have acute symptoms for 2 to 4 weeks after which there is slow and steady improvement on taking the medicines.
Once you start feeling better then you can go for physiotherapy recommended by your doctor.
Hope your query is answered.
Please do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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